Animal trap



W. H. HICKSON July 3l', 1951 ANIMAL TRAP 2 sheetsfshet 1 Filed May 14, 19416' July 31, 1951 w. H. HlcKsoN 2,562,313

ANIMAL TRAP Filed May 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 31, 1951 12,562,313 ANIMALTRAP j william H. HicksmMamngd ohio Application May 14, 1946, Serial N0. 669,687

.gMy invention relates to improvementsin animal traps of the self-setting type in which the animal or animals are trapped alive in a cagelike enclosure, and the primary object of myv in vention is to provide a trap of this class involv-" ing improved operating mechanism and facilities f or employing varieties of animate'or inanimate bait protectedfrom contamination or harm either from the trapped animals or animals outside the trap.

Another important object of my invention is .to provide a trap of the character indicated `above wherein receptacles are provided for selectively employing alternately or simultaneously a number of different animate or inanimate baits, as well as storing bait when not in use.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a trap of the characterr indicated above in which the cage-like enclosure is provided, besides the primary trapping compartment, with one or more secondary compartments in which an animal or animals having been trapped in the primary compartment, may be transferred to act as a live decoy.

Other important objects and advantages of"Y vtaken through said embodiment, showing the trapping mechanism in normal inoperative position in full lines and in extreme operated position in phantom lines. Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section ta o-n the line 2- 2 of Figure 41'.

Figure 3 is a top plan viewwith theto'p'lof the trap removed.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the trapping mechanism.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated form of animal trap comprises an elongated screen wire enclosure 5 of box shape, having a removable top or cover `Ii provided with a depending flange 'I to snugly engage outside of the inverted U-shaped finish strip 8 on the upper edge of the side and end walls of the enclosure.

As seen in Figure 3, the enclosure 5 is divided by screen walls into a plurality of secondary compartments comprising the two similar area compartments i9 and IIJ which extend longitudinally for a major portion of the length of the enclosure and are separated from each other by the central screen wall I I topped by nish Vau strip 8. Thecompartment 9 is divided vby a transverse screen wall I2 into a bait chambery I3 and another bait chamber I4, either or bothV of which may be used to exhibit either live 'or inanimate bait. The .wal1aI2 is provided with a screen gate I5 torpermittransfer of live bait between the chambers.- l

The cjompartmentffldis undivided and constitutes the trapping :mechanism compartment in which islocated themechanism hereinafter described. s

The forward endsr of the secondary compartments 9 andV IllA arembound'ed by a transverse screen wall I6 topped :.by nish strip 8 and provided Wth a slide gate I 'I to facilitate transfer of trapped or` bait 1 animals into the compartment I4. Y

The space vin :the -enclosure 15 between the wall I6 and the adjacent end ofthe enclosure is divided by a longitudinal wall I8 dividing it into the primary,trappingvcompartment I9 and the animal holding compartment 25 which can communicate with the :compartment I4 :by means of the gate I'I; and-with the compartment I9 by means of thek gate 2I;..

I Aninanimate bait troughr22 is formed by vertical and horizontal screen portions extending ybetween the screen walls -I2 and I6 at a relatively high elevation, to carry bait for luring the animals' into the mechanism compartment It.

A transverse guard screen 23 extends across the compartment I9 between the wall I8 and the side of the enclosure5, the screen 23 having a horizontal portion 24 on its lower end reaching rearwardly Ato the screen wall It tov a point just above theftop of the trap Acompartment opening 25 to thereby forman. auxiliary bait trough for carrying bait tolur-.e1the animal toward the opening 25.

A metal strip frame for supporting the trapping mechanism and reinforcing the mechanism compartment I0 includes the floor plate 2S having the side flanges 21 from which rise the axle supports 28 located intermediate the ends of the side flanges. From the forward ends of the flanges 21 rise the uprights 29 and 3U, located at the forward end of the mechanism compartment and at opposite sides of the trapping compartment opening 25. The opening 25 is narrower than the mechanism compartment I0 and centered between the sides.

'I'he trapping mechanism comprises the treadle generally designated 3I upon which an animal entering the compartment I0 through the entrance opening 32 must step, and upon which pivoted at its forward end on the axle 33 byl means of hinges 31a and 31D, to tilt upwardly" as the treadle is operated by an animal. tread 38 is secured upon the top of the left hand extremity of the plate 35 and to'fthexbottom -of the plate 35 at this place is secured ,a weight 30 sufficiently heavy to return the treadle 3l tothe initial position shown in full lines after "opera-` tion into the dotted linelposition. A second Xed tread'li is secured to the top of the plate 35Yjust forward of the opening 36 to form with the treads 31 and '33 a plane surface in the Vinitial position of the treadle.

The treadle operating mechanism comprises a set of articulated links and levers, including the depending link 4l pivoted at'itsupper end at 42 to the tiltable tread 31, and pivoted at its lower end at 43 to the outerend of the longer arm of a reclining -L-shaped lever 44 'which isl pivoted at the intersection of its arms on-a -rod d5 carried between theaxle supportsvZil below the treadle 3l. The remaining shorter arm of the L;shaped lever 44 is Apivoted at its outer end to the adjacent end of a long link d1 whose oppo- -site end is'pivoted at 48 -tothe bottom of the forward end of the treadle plate 35.

By reason ofthedesc'ribed pivotal support of Athe treadleand arrangementof the'links and the lever, the weight of'an animal moving along'the treadle 3| beyond the axle 33 toward the bait cage 22, Overbalances the `treadle-and throws its forward or'right hand end downwardly to cause the animal to fall and l'slide along the top'of the plate 35 and into the trapping compartment I9 .by wayof the opening v25. As the treadle tilts in .this manner, the tiltable treadle 31 is =pivoted .upwardly so as to form, in conjunction with the :screen wall :i9 which -it approaches, an eiective barrier to return of thef-animal toward theentrance opening 32.

Pivoted at 50 at the forward fend of the'treadle 3| is a depending baille plate 5I, theplate, being provided with opposed -pins 54 and 55 which are slidable in opposed grooves 5B and 51 formedin the uprights 29 and 30. The plate 5I in the initial or unoperated positionof the treadle substantially closes the opening'25 to prevent-anam- AA fixed g 4 mal trapped in the compartment I9 from escaping into the mechanism compartment.

A stop ledge 52 supported between the uprights 29 and 30 is provided to limit the tilting of the treadle 3i as the back face of the baffle plate 5l strikes the ledge.

I claim:

In an animal trap an enclosure including a mechanism chamber having entrance and exit openings in lits rearward and forward ends, re-

spectively, "and jan animal' corinning chamber at the forward end of said mechanism chamber into which said exit opening leads, a bait container positioned over said exit opening, trapping mechanism in said mechanism chamber comprising uan elongated treadle plate supported for rocking forwardly and downwardly from a normal rearwardly overbalanced declining position in Awhich the depressed rearward end of said treadle plate is positioned at the lower end of the entrance opening and an animal'entering said -entrance opening can `Awalk forwardly along said `treadle plate toward said bait container and `ove'rbalance said 'treadle plate into a -forwardly "declining operated position, said treadle -plate having a ltilting tread .pivoted'thereon at a point intermediate the ends'of said treadleplate and v"ncrmally disposed adjacent and parallel to the top 'of-said treadle plate to avoid obstruction the forward passage of an animal along said treadle plate, a first link pivoted at one end on, and vdevlpendingirom, said tilting tread, a lever pivote'd on Aa stationary portion of said mechanism beneath said treadle plate and having anend vpivoted to the other end of said first link, and 'a second link pivoted at one end to the opposite vend of said leverpsaid second link being-pivoted Yat'its opposite end to `said treadle plate whereby upon forward and downward overbalancing of saidtreadle plate to operatedposition 'said tilting tread is elevated relative to said'treadle 'plate to form'a'barrier to retreat of an animal on the forward part of said'treadle plate.

wriLIAM'H. lHi'CKsON.

REFERENCES CITED ;The following lreferences Yare Vof record in the file Aof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name ADate I 7,431 Stevens lJune 11, 1850 117,005 smith Ju1y`11, 1871 622,057 Mathias Mar. 28, 1899 1,185,036 Williams et al. NIay 30,1916 Y'2,207,015 Lawrence July 9, 1940 2,216,196 James Oct. V1, 1940 

